Getting the Most from Our Players

"Coaches take teams where they cannot go alone" and "coaches put their teams in the best position to win." Both sound easy.

These remind me of this Kipling poem. 

I Keep Six Honest Serving Men

I keep six honest serving-men
  (They taught me all I knew);
Their names are What and Why and When
  And How and Where and Who.
I send them over land and sea,
  I send them east and west;
But after they have worked for me,
  I give them all a rest.

I let them rest from nine till five,
  For I am busy then,
As well as breakfast, lunch, and tea,
  For they are hungry men.
But different folk have different views;
  I know a person small
She keeps ten million serving-men,
  Who get no rest at all!
She sends em abroad on her own affairs,
  From the second she opens her eyes
One million Hows, Two million Wheres,
  And seven million Whys!

Kipling reminds us about the value of curiosity. Curiosity rewards us as we ask how to do something better. 

Digress to ChatGPT:

Kipling’s poem "Six Honest Serving Men" celebrates curiosity, learning, and the importance of questioning to understand the world. The "honest serving men" Kipling refers to are six fundamental questions: What, Why, When, How, Where, and Who. These questions symbolize the core tools of inquiry, which allow individuals to dissect and comprehend the various aspects of their environment and experiences.

At a deeper level, Kipling presents a framework for intellectual engagement. The poem emphasizes that learning doesn’t happen passively; it is driven by the active pursuit of understanding through questioning. Each question plays a role in helping to unravel different facets of life. “What” refers to the identification of things; “Why” seeks purpose and motive; “When” and “Where” help place events in time and space; “Who” looks for identity; and “How” explains process and methodology. Together, these questions guide an individual in uncovering knowledge and truth.

Kipling also contrasts the insatiable thirst for knowledge in youth with the complacency that can emerge with age or routine. As people grow older, they sometimes stop asking these essential questions, satisfied with what they already know. Kipling gently critiques this stagnation, encouraging a lifelong engagement with curiosity. The poem’s tone is both instructive and empowering, promoting inquiry as a way to live a fuller, more thoughtful life.

Ultimately, "Six Honest Serving Men" reflects Kipling’s belief in the power of curiosity as a driving force for growth and wisdom, urging readers to maintain an inquisitive spirit throughout their lives.

Our tools: 

Who? Our teams exist at home, school, work, on the court, in the community. Decide whether it's about "we" or "me." Choosing selfishness or selflessness is an active process. 

What? Richard Feynman's process for learning included name, explain, research, and simplify. That could include a discussion on gravity, shooting free throws, serving a volleyball, or jumpstarting a car. Simplify concepts. "Hemingway" it. 

When? The best among us make everyone around us better. Our morning routine helps us "win the day." A friend and colleague shared what I taught him decades ago, "learn five things a day and pretty soon you know a lot." 

Where? Use "the butterfly effect." Our actions create ripples around the world. Someone hears or reads our words and says, "what if?" The Sesame Street song, "I wonder. What if? Let's try" might change the world. 

Why? Care about our fellow traveler...our players and their families. Our assistants and our bosses. Especially about our families. Care about balance, or The Force, or Mana or whatever you call it. 

How? If someone asked what we needed most in the world, what might we say? Information? There's already a lot. Clean energy? That would help and the purveyors of existing resources might argue against it. Kindness? Nobody has been kind to everyone, every day. We have a deficit, not an excess of kindness. That doesn't mean we can't demand high performance. 

Research shows that using punishments in basketball practice doesn't solve the problem. Instead of coaching through fear, focus on scoring systems that hold players accountable while giving them a chance to work on their mistakes. This approach encourages high standards and… pic.twitter.com/hWstISd4gL

— Transforming Basketball (@transformbball) October 2, 2024

Curiosity helps us become our better selves. That helps us to model excellence, lead, communicate, problem solve, prepare, and adapt...all high level skills that make teams and individuals around us better.

Lagniappe. Bob Starkey shares a "copy and print" idea.  

Something that @TeamCoachBuzz gave me years ago that I keep by my bed…I believe #TodayMatters and to take full advantage we need to measure the results of the day.#BedtimeAudit pic.twitter.com/sahbBwipld

— Bob Starkey (@CoachBobStarkey) October 3, 2024